Battle Bugs is a little game done in Scratch. You plan your bugs’ path and your (virtual) opponent does the same, and then you move simultaneously, trying to ram each other. If you win, you get more points to upgrade your bug for the next battle!

This delightfully sweet, nutty bread is more than the sum of its (two) parts. It is toothsome and satisfying, dense yet soft — it’s even won over at least one white bread fan! This small loaf will go a long way.

• 3 cups wheatberries
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Put the wheatberries in a large bowl, and cover them with water. Cover and let soak for 24-36 hours, draining and replacing the water every 12 hours, until the wheatberries are soft and start sprouting tails.

When they’re ready, preheat the oven to 300 F. Drain them, add salt, and puree until most of the wheatberries are broken down and form a glutenous dough. Shape this into a round, poke a few holes in it to make sure it bakes all the way through, and rub with a bit of water (for a hard crust) or olive oil (for a soft crust). Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet or pizza stone for 90 minutes (or 60 if you’re using convection).

To make painted bread, just thin some molasses with a little water and take to your loaf with a clean paintbrush. Pop it back in the still-hot oven for a few minutes to make sure it dries.

Cashew Cheese

This non-dairy cheese tastes a little like gouda, but with a soft consistency. Lightly fermenting it gives it a nice sharp flavor, and baking it at a low temperature gives it a firm texture. Excellent spread on bread or crackers.

• 1 cup cashews
• 1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon organic sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Soak the cashews in water for 30-60 minutes, until soft. Drain and rinse them, then combine with the remaining ingredients and puree until very smooth. You may need to add a little water to get a soft consistency. Let this sit, covered, for about 12 hours (or overnight) to give it a good tanginess.

Preheat the oven to 200 F. Oil a couple ramekins and fill them with the cashew mixture, and bake them for 30 minutes. Let them cool, then pop out the cheese rounds with a knife.

For an extra fancy serving suggestion, garnish the cheese with coarsely-ground peppercorns and some crushed rosemary. Hmm!

Grind the oats into a flour, and mix in the rest of the dry ingredients. I’ve also used half oats, half quinoa (soaked for a few hours and pureed), which results in a nuttier flavor, and I suspect you could try all manner of flours here.

• 1 c. banana puree
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1 T. cider vinegar
• 3 T. olive oil (or any vegetable oil, really)

Mash up the banana with the wet ingredients, and combine with the dry. Since you’re not using wheat, there’s no danger of over-mixing!

• 1/4 c. dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 c. peanut butter

Melt the chocolate and peanut butter over a double-boiler, or in a small container partly immersed in a hot water bath (think small bowl in bigger bowl). Stir this mixture into the batter, just enough to create a marbled effect.

Pour the batter into a parchment-lined or oiled loaf pan, and stick it in a 350 F degree oven (300 convection) for about 45 minutes. It’s done when a toothpick comes out mostly clean, and it’s even better the next day!

Chop off the very ends, cut in half, remove the seeds and pulp, and roast at 350 degrees F (300 if you’ve got a convection oven) for 30 minutes. Then chop it up.

• 1 leek, chopped
• 2-4 cloves of garlic
• 4 c. vegetable broth
• 1 t. thyme
• Sea salt and black pepper

Sautee the leek in a little oil and salt. When soft, add the squash and remaining ingredients. Simmer for 20 minutes, then puree until smooth. Season with sea salt to taste.

• 1 c. cashews
• 1 c. vegetable broth

Puree the cashews and broth to form a cream. Strain if you want it super smooth. Add most to the soup and stir in, and reserve about 1/4 cup to drizzle over the served soup. Finish with a generous helping of black pepper.

Serves four. Adapted from VeganYumYum.

I like mixing sweet and savory. The original recipe called for mayonnaise, but I love the tang of good mustard! Also, soaking the sunflower seeds is optional, but makes them more digestible and their nutrients more accessible — feel free to use other seeds or nuts, too.

• 1 green apple, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, split lengthwise and chopped
• 5 scallions, chopped
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, soaked 2-12 hours and rinsed
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins
• 1-2 tablespoons stoneground mustard

Combine all ingredients in a bowl with enough mustard to bind everything together.

1/4 cup rice vinegar 3 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder (I used a mix of cinnamon, cloves, and fennel instead)

Combine dressing ingredients in a small jar, and shake vigorously. Pour 2 tablespoons over the salad, toss, and serve on its own or on top of sandwiches or salads.

(Adapted from The Awesome Summer Journal.)

Using purple potatoes from the local farmer’s market is a brilliant idea here, because it goes so well with the avocado and makes it look as fresh and delightful as it tastes!

• 1 1/2 lb. new potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
• 1 large ripe avocado, diced
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Small handful of herbs (I used parsley)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper

Steam the potatoes until fork-tender. Let them cool, then mix in the avocado, lemon juice, and herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat and break down the avocado a bit. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

(Adapted from Vegan Visitor.)

Ingredients:

• a pie crust
• 4-5 apples, cored and chopped
• 6 dates, pitted and chopped
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• a pinch or two of sea salt

Method:

• Process the apples until very finely chopped but not pureed. Stop when you think you have enough to fill the pie.
• Puree the dates with a little water.
• Mix everything together in a bowl.
• Pour into the pie crust and smooth it over with a spatula.
• Chill for an hour or so, or just slice and serve.

Ingredients:

• 3 pears, chopped (I used anjou)
• 1/2 cup apple juice concentrate
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons agar agar powder
• a squeeze of lemon juice
• a pinch of salt
• a pre-baked or no-bake pie crust

Method:

• Blend all the ingredients together until smooth.
• Bring them to a boil on the stovetop, to get the agar dissolved.
• Pour into the pie crust.
• Let sit for an hour to cool off, then put it in the refrigerator for a few hours until the agar sets up.
• Slice, serve up, and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup sesame seeds (or 1/2 cup for a thicker, creamier milk)
• 2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons sugar (or to taste)
• pinch salt

Method:

• Blend or process or grind the sesame seeds with a little water until you have a thick paste.
• Add the rest of the water and the sugar and salt, and blend it all together. It should be very frothy!
• Strain it through a sieve or some cheesecloth if you don’t want too many little particles floating around.
• Store in a pourable container in the refrigerator. Feel free to make bigger batches if you love the stuff!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups oat flour (blend or process rolled oats until fine)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (I used extra virgin, you could use canola or some other vegetable oil as well)

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Get a baking sheet ready by lightly greasing it or lining it with parchment paper.
• Mix together the dry ingredients in one bowl.
• Mix the wet ingredients in another.
• Add the wet to the dry, and stir away.
• Drop tablespoon-sized dollops on the baking sheet, and flatten into rounds.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes.
• Let cool for a minute on the baking sheet so they can firm up before serving or storing.
• Enjoy!